Vacuum packaging of a meat product using a film having a carbon dioxide scavenger

Abstract

A package includes a vacuumized bag made from a film including an outer layer including an olefin polymer or copolymer, an inner layer including an olefin polymer or copolymer, an oxygen barrier layer, disposed between the outer and inner layer, including a polymer or copolymer having an oxygen permeability of less than 100 cm 3 O 2 /m 2 ·day·atmosphere, and an intermediate layer, disposed between the oxygen barrier layer and inner layers, including a polymer or copolymer, wherein at least one of the inner and intermediate layers includes a carbon dioxide scavenger; and a meat product disposed in the bag. A method of packaging a meat product includes providing a bag made from the above film; putting a meat product into the bag through an open bag mouth; drawing a vacuum on the bag to provide a vacuumized bag; and heat sealing the open mouth of the bag.

1 . A package comprising:
 a) a vacuumized bag, the bag made from a film comprising:
 i) an outer layer comprising an olefin polymer or copolymer, 
 ii) an inner layer comprising an olefin polymer or copolymer, 
 iii) an oxygen barrier layer, disposed between the outer and inner layers, comprising a polymer or copolymer having an oxygen permeability of less than 100 cm 3  O 2 /m 2 ·day·atmosphere (ASTM D3985), and 
 iv) an intermediate layer, disposed between the oxygen barrier layer and the inner layer, the intermediate layer comprising a polymer or copolymer, 
 wherein at least one of the inner layer and intermediate layer comprises a carbon dioxide scavenger; and 
   b) a meat product disposed in the vacuumized bag.   
     
     
         2 . The package of  claim 1  wherein the bag comprises a side seal bag comprising two bag sides each formed by a heat seal in the film, a folded bottom, and a sealed bag mouth. 
     
     
         3 . The package of  claim 1  wherein the bag comprises an end seal bag comprising two bag sides each formed by a fold in the film, a heat sealed bottom, and a sealed bag mouth. 
     
     
         4 . The package of  claim 1  wherein the carbon dioxide scavenger comprises one or more materials selected from the group consisting of metal oxide and metal hydroxide. 
     
     
         5 . The package of  claim 4  wherein the carbon dioxide scavenger comprises one or more materials selected from the group consisting of magnesium oxide, calcium oxide, zinc oxide, magnesium hydroxide, and calcium hydroxide. 
     
     
         6 . The package of  claim 1  wherein the film is crosslinked. 
     
     
         7 . The package of  claim 1  wherein the film is solid-state oriented. 
     
     
         8 . The package of  claim 1  wherein the film is a heat shrinkable film having a free shrink (ASTM D 2732-83) at a temperature of 200° F. of at least 8% in either or both of the longitudinal and transverse directions. 
     
     
         9 . The package of  claim 1  wherein the film is a tubular film. 
     
     
         10 . The package of  claim 1  wherein the inner layer is heat sealed to itself to form the sealed bag mouth. 
     
     
         11 . A method of packaging a meat product comprising:
 a) providing a bag, the bag made from a film comprising:
 i) an outer layer comprising an olefin polymer or copolymer, 
 ii) an inner layer comprising an olefin polymer or copolymer, 
 iii) an oxygen barrier layer, disposed between the outer and inner layers, comprising a polymer or copolymer having an oxygen permeability of less than 100 cm 3  O 2 /m 2 ·day·atmosphere (ASTM D3985), and 
 iv) an intermediate layer, disposed between the oxygen barrier layer and the inner layer, the intermediate layer comprising a polymer or copolymer, 
 wherein at least one of the inner layer and intermediate layer comprises a carbon dioxide scavenger; 
   b) putting a meat product into the bag through an open mouth of the bag;   c) drawing a vacuum on the bag to provide a vacuumized bag; and   d) heat sealing the open mouth of the bag to provide a hermetic, vacuumized bag.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the bag comprises a side seal bag comprising two bag sides each formed by a heat seal in the film, a folded bottom, and a sealed bag mouth. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the bag comprises an end seal bag comprising two bag sides each formed by a fold in the film, a heat sealed bottom, and a sealed bag mouth. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the carbon dioxide scavenger comprises one or more materials selected from the group consisting of metal oxide and metal hydroxide. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the carbon dioxide scavenger comprises one or more materials selected from the group consisting of magnesium oxide, calcium oxide, zinc oxide, magnesium hydroxide, and calcium hydroxide. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the film is crosslinked. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the film is solid-state oriented. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the film is a heat shrinkable film having a free shrink (ASTM D 2732-83) at a temperature of 200° F. of at least 8% in either or both of the longitudinal and transverse directions. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the film is a tubular film. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the inner layer is heat sealed to itself to form the sealed bag mouth.